Biman Plans to Add 26 New Aircraft by 2034

The national airline of Bangladesh, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, is prepared to carry out an ambitious 10-year plan that includes route expansion and the acquisition of at least 26 new aircraft in response to the growth in international air travel and competition from foreign airlines.

According to the revised plan that the Biman Board of Directors recently approved, Biman’s fleet would increase from its current 21 to 47 aircraft by 2034, representing a 122% rise.

At least eight aircraft with 300 seats, six with 270 seats, six with 160 seats, four with 70 seats, and one with 400 seats will be added to the fleet.

Biman’s seating capacity will more than double with this addition, surpassing the present daily capacity of 5,000 passengers. 

In keeping with the government’s goal of making Bangladesh a hub for aviation, Biman seeks to increase its reach by deploying new planes on new routes, such as those to Australia and New York.

Shafiul Azim, the Managing Director and CEO of Biman, told a new portal, “The 10-year fleet and route expansion plan has been under consideration for several years. It was approved during the 300th board meeting, held recently. The plan can be revised at any time.”

“We plan to add two to three aircraft into the fleet annually. The routes are already mapped out, we just need to initiate operations,” he said.

According to sources close to Biman, the business is currently reviewing offers for new aircraft from Boeing and Airbus. This implies that Biman, whose fleet is now dominated by Boeing aircraft, will diversify.

The national flag airline has mostly chosen to purchase 10 Airbus A350 widebody aircraft from Airbus, including two cargo freighters after the European manufacturing giant made the proposal. On March 5, a techno-financial committee was also established to assess the purchase bid.

Boeing, Airbus’s main rival worldwide, has also submitted a new bid to the airline after Airbus.

“The major advantage lies in avoiding upfront cash payments for aircraft purchases. Previously, we made regular instalments for purchased aircraft. Even with new purchases, it remains the same,” said Shafiul Azim.

The Biman MD emphasized how important it is to buy new planes in order to stay competitive in the aviation industry. “While we sit idle, neighbouring countries like India, Thailand, and Vietnam are rapidly expanding their fleets, targeting our market,” he stated.

Currently, international airlines account for the majority of the aviation sector’s activity in the nation, with domestic airlines, like Biman, securing only 20% to 25% of the total.

The national carrier and a few smaller local airlines are preparing to take advantage of the commercial opportunities presented by the noticeable increase in international passenger numbers by going up against global carriers.